Quick-closing valve mechanism

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises: a ball valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; a spring to tension the valve towards its closed position; a valve stem attached to the valve; an operating arm, attached to the valve stem, having a first position wherein the valve is in its closed position and a second position wherein the valve is in its open position; a member, having a flange thereon, pivotally attached to the operating arm; a handle movable so as to permit contact with the flange and thereby move the operating arm from its first position to its second position; retention means associated with the handle to retain the operating arm in its second position; and trigger means to pivot the member so as to release the handle from contact with the flange thereby permitting the operating arm to return to its first position.

[I51 mamas Jan, 25 M72 Waited States Patent Damiani [57] ABSTRACT The invention comprises: a ball valve having an open position [54] QUICK-(:LUSING VALVE MECHANHSM F V. i n n m .m m m a D r n a h C n a .m a m T a n 0 n .l e n B U m w t n n g e i v .m A N a 7 7 l l permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; a spring to tension the valve towards its closed position; a valve stem attached to the valve; an operating arm, attached to the valve stem, having a first position wherein the valve is in its closed position and a 0 7 9 1 e 8 A2 o N .ml 0. MP FA UN 22 [l second position wherein the valve is in its 0 member, having a flange thereon,

handle movable so position to its second position; with the handle to retain the operatin tion; and trigger means to pivot the member so as to release the handle from contact with the flange thereby permitting the UNITED STATES PATENTS m m m .m F s o w P i a w r n m m 6 m s n .m a m C r 8 O t m r a g n U a PI e D- O XX 44 77 55 22 MacBain.................. Falasca............................... Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant Examiner-Richard Gerard At!0rney-Charles M. Kaplan PATENIEB JANZS 1972 3536365 SHEET 2 BF 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a fluid cutoff valve mechanism and more particularly to an improved spring-loaded, quick-closing safety mechanism for a railroad tank car bottom unloading valve.

Heretofore, bottom unloading valves on tanks carried by railway or highway vehicles have had a spring-closed cutoff valve which have been moved to an open position by means of a hand lever. In such mechanisms, it has been necessary for the valve-closing spring to overcome the inertia of the hand lever and swing said lever as the valve closes. This not only tends to prevent instantaneous valve closing, but there is danger that the hand lever, usually moving with considerable speed and force, may injure any workman or bystander within reach of said lever. Further, the heretofore bottom unloading valves did not provide means to automatically return the valve to its closed position in the case of dangerously high temperature in the area surrounding the valve, i.e., a fire. Needless to mention, in case of a fire it is highly desirable to automatically close the valve if the tank contains highly inflammable material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid flow cutoff valve mechanism which is not dangerous to workmen.

Another object is to provide a spring loaded fluid flow cutoff valve mechanism that prevents the operating handle from swinging with considerable speed and force, when the spring is triggered to close the valve.

A further object is to provide a spring-loaded, quick-closing mechanism for a bottom ball valve on a railway tank car that permits the valve to be closed even if the spring should fail.

Still further object is to provide a spring-loaded, quick-closing mechanism for a bottom ball valve on a railway tank car that permits the valve to be closed even if the operating handle should become inoperative A still further object is to provide a fluid cutoff valve mechanism for a railroad tank car that will automatically return to the closed position in case the surroundings reach a predetermined high temperature.

Briefly, the invention comprises: a ball valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; a spring to tension the valve towards the closed position; a valve stem attached to the valve; an operating arm, attached to the valve stem, having a first position wherein the valve is in the open position; a member, having a flange thereon, pivotally attached to the operating arm; a handle movable so as to permit contact with the flange and thereby move the operating arm from the first position to the second position; retention means associated with the handle to retain the operating arm in the second position; and trigger means to pivot the member so as to release the handle from contact with the flange thereby permitting the operating arm to return to the first position. One embodiment of the invention further includes a fusible link as part of the retention means which will cause the valve to automatically return to the closed position in case the surroundings reach a predetermined high temperature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter more fully appear, and which will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference is now made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic view, partly broken away, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded diagrammatic view of the invention shown in FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a top elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, with various parts removed for clarity, showing the invention in solid lines when in the closed position and in broken lines when in the open position;

FIG. 4 is a section taken generally along line i-4l of FIG. 3, with various parts removed for clarity, showing the vertical space relationship of the component parts of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial top elevation of a modification of the invention showing an alternative retention means; and

HQ 6 is a plan view of the fusible link shown in FIG. t.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. I, the invention is illustrated on a railway tank car 10 having a generally cylindrical tank shell 112 and a longitudinally extending center sill structure (not shown) mounted on trucks (not shown). A bottom unloading valve structure indicated generally at 113 is secured to the tank shell structure in a conventional manner such that valve structure 13 extends downwardly in the area between the spaced sills which form the center sill structure of the car.

Bottom unloading valve 113 includes a ball valve receiving housing 14 positioned within tank shell 12 having an aperture 26 therein, which is in fluid communication with outlet pipe 118. A ball valve 20, of a conventional type having a stem 2i secured to an operating arm 30 and movable through an arc of for opening and closing, is positioned within housing assembly I41 opposite aperture 26. Ball valve 20 is positioned within housing assembly M in a manner so as to selectively permit or prevent the lading carried within tank shell 12 from being discharged through outlet pipe 18. The specific structure of the housing assembly and ball valve may be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 569,313, filed Aug. 1, 1966, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. A conventional fitting assembly I9 is provided to facilitate hookup to the apparatus receiving the discharged lading.

Referring to FIGS. M, an important feature of this invention is the mechanism for moving operating arm 30 through an arc of around 90 thereby opening and. closing the ball valve. Frame member 15, attached to the center sill of a tank car in a conventional manner, rotatably supports valve stem extension 22 which is connected to valve stem 21 and ball valve 20. Leaf spring 25, attached at one end to stem extension 22 and at its other end to ear 17 and support member 26, biases stem extension 22 and consequently ball valve 20 to a closed position preventing the flow of fluid therethrough. Secured to the bottom end of stem extension 22 is operating arm 30 which upon rotation about a substantially vertical axis assumes a first position wherein valve 20 is in a closed position and second position wherein valve 20 is in an opened position. FIG. 3 shows the operating arm in the first position indicated at 3th and in the second position indicated at 30. Upwardly extending flange 32 is attached to operating arm 30.

Handle 40 is secured to stem extension 22 above operating arm 30 so as to permit same to pivot about a substantially vertical axis independent of the rotation of stem extension 22. Handle grip 45 is provided to facilitate the rotation of handle 40. Angle brackets 70 and 72 are attached to the lower ends of frame 15. Guide slot 71 in angle bracket 70 receives handle 40 thereby guiding and limiting the rotation of handle 40.

Hook-shaped member 60 is pivotally attached, about a sub stantially horizontal axis, to operating arm 30. Pin 38 passes through ears M and 36 depending from operating arm 30 and car 35 extending from member 60. Member 60 has an upwardly extending flange portion 62 having a notch 63 at one end thereof and a downwardly extending member 64 attached to the other end.

In order to pivot member 6t] about pin 38 a trigger member 52 is positioned below member 641 to apply an upward force thereto. Attached to member 52 are arms 5d and 56 which are attached to rod 57 passing through apertures in brackets 70 and 72. To rotate rod 57 about a substantially horizontal axis handles 53 and 59 are attached to the opposite ends of 57 such that a force applied thereto will rotate rod 57. To facilitate rotation of handles 53 and 59 a cable 92 attached to ears 90 may be provided.

At this point a detailed description of the operation of the invention will be helpful to show the space relationships of the previously disclosed structural elements. Before filling tank car with a fluid commodity, such as liquefied petroleum gas, and during the transportation thereof to its final destination, valve is in its closed position and operating arm 30 in its first position indicated by 30 in FIG. 3, thereby preventing theflow of fluid therefrom. On arrival of tank car 10 at its destination, fitting I9 is coupled in any conventional manner to the means for receiving the contents of tank shell 12. Then handle grip 45 is grasped and handle 40 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Handle 40 contacts flange 62 and thereby rotates member 60 and operating arm 30 therewith against the closing force of spring 25. When operating arm 30 reaches its second position, and therefore valve 20 is in its open position, handle 40 is retained in place by handle reten- 'tion means more fully described hereinafter. Complete discharge of the contents of tank shell 12 can then take place.

Upon completion of the discharge of tank shell 12, or any time prior thereto, valve 20 may be returned to its closed position by pulling cable 92 and thereby rotating rod 57 in a counterclockwise direction. Such rotation will rotate arms 54 and 56 therewith and cause trigger member 52 to rise and contact flange 64, thus pivoting member 60 about pin 38, and causing flange 62 to release from contact with handle 40 and thereby allowing operating arm 30 to return to its first position by action of spring 25. It should be noted that this results in an almost instantaneous valve closing and furthermore eliminates the danger of handle 40 injuring workmen or bystanders because the handle is not involved in the closing operation. After release of the handle retention means, handle 40 is rotated in a clockwise direction making contact with notch 63 thereby causing member 60 to pivot in a clockwise direction allowing handle 40 to return to the position as shown in FIG. 3 at 40.

Should spring fail while valve 20 is in the open position the valve may be closed by releasing the handle retention means, hereinafter described in more detail, and rotating handle 40 in a clockwise direction thereby contacting flange 32 and rotating operating arm to its first position, wherein valve 20 is closed.

The above-mentioned handle retention means can take a variety of forms; two of which are hereinafter disclosed. FIGS. 1-4 illustrate one form and FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a second form of handle retention means that may be used with the previously disclosed quick-closing bottom unloading valve assembly.

As seen in FlGS. 1-4, handle 40 has a set of apertures 75 passing therethrough and bracket 70 has a set of apertures 78 passing therethrough. Apertures 75 and 78 are so positioned so as to insure vertical alignment between one from each set at predetermined intervals as handle 40 is rotated from a closed position to a fully open position. A conventional retention pin (not shown) may be inserted through vertically aligned apertures 7S and 78 thus retaining the handle in a predetermined position between closed and fully open.

An alternative embodiment of the handle retention means is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Horizontal pin 82 is secured to the bracket 70 and horizontal pin 84 is attached to handle 40. A link 80, having apertures 83 at each end, receives pins 82 and 84 and thereby retains handle 40 in a fixed position relative to bracket 70. By positioning pins 82 and 84 on bracket 70 and handle 40 respectively and changing the length of link 80, handle 40 may be retained in a predetermined position between closed and opened. As seen in FIG. 4 handle 40 is retained in the fully opened position.

Link 80, as seen in FIG. 6, may be a fusible link. In case ofa dangerously high temperature in the area surrounding the valve mechanism, Le, a fire, it is highly desirable to automatically close the valve especially if the tank shell 12 contains highly inflammable material. By placing a fusible link between pins 82 and 84, when the area surrounding the link reaches a predetermined temperature the link will separate releasing the handle 40 and allowing valve 30 to return to its closed position, due to the action of spring 25. A conventional bimetallic fusible link is shown in FIG. 6. Fusible link consists of links 85, of low melting point material, sandwiched between links 86 and 88. Bolts 87 pass through links 86, and 88. Links 86 and 88 are divided into two segments at their midpoints thereby allowing fusible link 80 to separate when the temperature surrounding the valve mechanism reaches the melting point of the material of which links 85 are made.

It will be understood that while the form of the invention herein shown and described constitutes a preferred emb'odiment, it is not intended herein to illustrate all of the equivalent forms or ramifications thereof. It will also be understood that the words are of description rather than of limitation, and that various changes may be made without departure from the spirit or scope of the invention herein disclosed, and it is aimed in the appended claims to cover all such changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A fluid flow cutoff valve mechanism comprising:

a. a valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough;

b. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed position;

c. a valve stem attached to said valve;

d. operating arm means, attached to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said open position;

e. member means, pivotally attached to said operating arm means and having a flange thereon, attached to said operating arm means; handle means movable so as to permit contact with said flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means;

g. retention means associated with said handle means to retain said operating arm in said second position and h. trigger means to pivot said member means so as to release said handle means from contact with said flange thereby permitting said operating arm means to return to said first position.

2. A fluid flow cutoff mechanism comprising:

a. a ball valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough;

b. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed position;

0. a substantially vertical valve stem depending from said valve;

d. operating arm means, attached to and substantially perpendicular to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said open position;

e. member means, pivotally attached to said operating arm means about a substantially horizontal axis and having a substantially vertical flange thereon, attached to said operating arm means;

f. handle means pivotal about a substantially vertical axis so as to permit contact with said flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means;

g. retention means associated with said handle means to retain said operating arm in said second position and h. trigger means to pivot said member means so as to release said handle means from contact with said flange thereby allowing said operating arm means to return to said first position.

3. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said trigger means comprises:

a. a trigger member positioned below said member means;

and

b. means to raise said trigger member so as to contact said member means and pivot same about a substantially horizontal axis thereby lowering said flange relative to said operating arm means.

4. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 3,

I wherein said means to raise said trigger member comprises:

a. a substantially horizontal rod attached to said trigger member by a pair of parallel arms; and

b. trigger-actuating handle means attached to said rod so as to permit said rod to be rotated about a substantially horizontal axis.

5 A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2,

wherein:

a, said operating arm means has an upstanding flange attached thereto; and

b. said handle means is positioned so as to permit contact with said operating arm flange and thereby allow same to be moved from said second position to said first position if said spring means should fail.

6. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2,

further including:

a. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough and said horizontal surface having apertures therethrough;

b. said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot; and

c. said retention means comprising pin means adapted to pass through apertures in said handle means and said apertures in said angle bracket thereby retaining said handle means in a predetermined position.

7. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2,

further including:

a. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough;

b. said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot; and

c. said retention means comprising a first upstanding pin attached to said handle means and a second upstanding pin attached to said horizontal surface, and a fusible link removably secured to said first and second pins, said fusible link being of such length so as to retain said operating arm means in said second position and of such material so as to separate at a predetermined temperature and permit said operating arm to return to said first position.

9. A railroad tank car having a generally cylindrical tank shell supported on a pair of longitudinally extending center sill structures, the improvement comprising:

a. means defining a discharge outlet in said tank shell between said center sill structures;

b. a ball valve for opening and closing said outlet having an opened position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough;

c. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed positron;

d. a substantially vertical valve stem depending from said valve;

e. operating arm means, attached to and substantially perpendicular to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said opened position; said operating arm means having an upstanding flange attached thereto;

f. member means, having a substantially vertical flange thereon, pivotally connected to said operating arm means about a substantially horizontal axis;

g. handle means pivotal about a substantially vertical axis so as to permit contact with said vertical flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means; said handle means being positioned so as to permit contact with said operating arm flange and thereby allow same to be moved from said second position to said first position if said spring means should fail;

h. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough and said horizontal surface having apertures therethrough; said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot;

i. a trigger member positioned below said member means; means to raise said trigger member so as to contact and pivot said member means so as to release said handle from contact with said flange thereby allowing said operating arm means to return to said first position; and

j. retention means to retain said operating arm in said second position; said retention means comprising pin means adapted to pass through apertures in said handle means and said apertures in said angle bracket thereby retaining said handle means in a predetermined position.

P040550 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN Patent No. 965 Dated January 5, 97

1nvento1-(S) Benjamin John Damiani It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, Line &9, before ."open" insert closed position and a second position wherein the valve is in the Signed and sealed this day of August MHZ. 

1. A fluid flow cutoff valve mechanism comprising: a. a valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; b. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed position; c. a valve stem attached to said valve; d. operating arm means, attached to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said open position; e. member means, pivotally attached to said operating arm means and having a flange thereon, attached to said operating arm means; f. handle means movable so as to permit contact with said flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means; g. retention means associated with said handle means to retain said operating arm in said second position and h. trigger means to pivot said member means so as to release said handle means fRom contact with said flange thereby permitting said operating arm means to return to said first position.
 2. A fluid flow cutoff mechanism comprising: a. a ball valve having an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; b. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed position; c. a substantially vertical valve stem depending from said valve; d. operating arm means, attached to and substantially perpendicular to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said open position; e. member means, pivotally attached to said operating arm means about a substantially horizontal axis and having a substantially vertical flange thereon, attached to said operating arm means; f. handle means pivotal about a substantially vertical axis so as to permit contact with said flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means; g. retention means associated with said handle means to retain said operating arm in said second position and h. trigger means to pivot said member means so as to release said handle means from contact with said flange thereby allowing said operating arm means to return to said first position.
 3. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein said trigger means comprises: a. a trigger member positioned below said member means; and b. means to raise said trigger member so as to contact said member means and pivot same about a substantially horizontal axis thereby lowering said flange relative to said operating arm means.
 4. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means to raise said trigger member comprises: a. a substantially horizontal rod attached to said trigger member by a pair of parallel arms; and b. trigger-actuating handle means attached to said rod so as to permit said rod to be rotated about a substantially horizontal axis.
 5. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2, wherein: a. said operating arm means has an upstanding flange attached thereto; and b. said handle means is positioned so as to permit contact with said operating arm flange and thereby allow same to be moved from said second position to said first position if said spring means should fail.
 6. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2, further including: a. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough and said horizontal surface having apertures therethrough; b. said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot; and c. said retention means comprising pin means adapted to pass through apertures in said handle means and said apertures in said angle bracket thereby retaining said handle means in a predetermined position.
 7. A fluid valve cutoff mechanism as set forth in claim 2, further including: a. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough; b. said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot; and c. said retention means comprising a first upstanding pin attached to said handle means and a second upstanding pin attached to said horizontal surface, and a fusible link removably secured to said first and second pins, said fusible link being of such length so as to retain said operating arm means in said second position and of such material so as to separate at a predetermined temperature and permit said operating arm to return to said first position.
 8. A railroad tank car having a generally cylindrical tanK shell supported on a pair of longitudinally extending center sill structures, the improvement comprising: a. means defining a discharge outlet in said tank shell between said center sill structures; b. a ball valve for opening and closing said outlet having an opened position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position preventing fluid flow therethrough; c. spring means to bias said valve towards said closed position; d. a substantially vertical valve stem depending from said valve; e. operating arm means, attached to and substantially perpendicular to said valve stem, having a first position wherein said valve is in said closed position and a second position wherein said valve is in said opened position; said operating arm means having an upstanding flange attached thereto; f. member means, having a substantially vertical flange thereon, pivotally connected to said operating arm means about a substantially horizontal axis; g. handle means pivotal about a substantially vertical axis so as to permit contact with said vertical flange and thereby move said operating arm means from said first position to said second position against the bias of said spring means; said handle means being positioned so as to permit contact with said operating arm flange and thereby allow same to be moved from said second position to said first position if said spring means should fail; h. an angle bracket, having a substantially vertical surface and a substantially horizontal surface, said vertical surface having an elongated slot therethrough and said horizontal surface having apertures therethrough; said handle means being positioned within said slot so as to permit movement between the respective ends of said slot; i. a trigger member positioned below said member means; means to raise said trigger member so as to contact and pivot said member means so as to release said handle from contact with said flange thereby allowing said operating arm means to return to said first position; and j. retention means to retain said operating arm in said second position; said retention means comprising pin means adapted to pass through apertures in said handle means and said apertures in said angle bracket thereby retaining said handle means in a predetermined position. 